RECEIVER

Description: STEEL CRYSTAL SET WITH RECTANGULAR BASE. TOP LEFT HAS TWO KNOBS WITH WASHERS BETWEEN THEM AND BASE (TOP WASHER IS RED) WITH SCREWS ON TOP AND HOLE IN THE MIDDLE. TOP RIGHT HAS THE SAME WITH THE TOP WASHER BEING BLACK AND THE SCREWS HAVE GOLD FLAT HEAD SCREWS. IN TOP CENTRE IS A CLIP SCREWED ON TO BASE WITH A WASHER BELOW THE END OF THE CLIP AND A BOLT ABOVE IT. TOP OF CLIP IS OPEN WITH A BEARING HELD AT THE TOP OF THE CLIP. THIS BEARING HAS A HOLE THROUGH IT AND PERPENDICULAR TO THE CLIP RUNS A ROD. ROD HAS A BLACK HANDLE SCREWED ON AT THE TOP AND THE OTHER END HAS A WIRE COILED AROUND IT. THE WIRE GOES DOWN AND IS CONNECTED TO THE METAL CENTRE OF AN OPEN RING TO THE LEFT OF THE CLIP. ON THE BOTTOM IS A CURVED OPENING WHICH HAS COPPER WIRES BELOW IT. A METAL STRIP IS BOLTED TO THE BASE FURTHER UP AND HAS A PIECE HANGING DOWN WHICH RUNS OVER THE COPPER WIRE AS THE METAL STRIP ROAMS OVER THE WIRE. THERE IS A SMALL HANDLE ABOVE THE WIRE. THE BOTTOM IS CARDBOARD. ONE BOLT ON TWO SIDES. HAS SOME BLACK TAR (?) ON SIDES. CORROSION IN VARIOUS PLACES.

History: WAS PURCHASED FROM EATON'S OF CANADA IN THE MID-1930'S FOR ABOUT NINETY-NINE CENTS BY GEORGE A.G. PEAT. WAS TYPICAL OF THOSE USED FROM 1920'S TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THEIR ADVANTAGE WAS THEY DID NOT NEED BATTERIES, BUT WERE DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE THEY LACKED VOLUME. NEEDED A LONG WIRE TO INTERCEPT WEAK SIGNALS FROM RADIO STATIONS (IE. IN 1920'S THOSE OF CFCN-CALGARY AND CJOC-LETHBRIDGE), WERE IN EXCESS OF FIFTY METERS ON A HOUSE. FOR INSTRUCTIONS SEE ATTACHED SHEET.